Shake It Out
by afamiliarsmile
Summary: This is the price she has to pay to speak to him again. A request I received on Tumblr and am finally moving to this site. Klaroline with heavy mentions of Stefan.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note**: Hello all! Here I am again with another Klaroline fanfic. I guess I just can't get enough of this pairing!

I've had a couple of these posted over on Tumblr for a while and decided I might as well move them over here.

Let me know what you think! Reviews are always appreciated.

_Diclaimer_: I do not own nor am I in any way affiliated with _The Vampire Diaries_.

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><p>There was something surreal about her capture.<p>

In the beginning she had put up a fight, of course she had. She had kicked, screamed, bit and clawed at those who held her. There was some satisfaction, after all, in seeing the skin peel back to reveal that bit of scarlet underneath. But she was left with her displeasure and fear as the wounds healed before her very eyes. The flesh knitted itself together, a pink hue lingering for only a second before vanishing entirely. No matter what she did nothing kept them back. Had she only been left to take on one she might have been able to slip away. Hybrids were stronger, but she was still older even as a young vampire, and that would have proved to be of some worth had she been matched up one on one.

Unfortunately she had not been offered that luxury.

And she was clever enough to stop struggling the moment he stepped into view. There was something about him that always caught her off guard. His appearance at first glance hardly suggested the homicidal, hybrid siring, boyfriend loyalty stealing type. His blue eyes and sandy hair could reek of innocence if he tried, she realized dimly before that arrogant smirk of his settled in to place. She hated that damn smirk. And it was then that she caught the small glimmers that easily gave way to his true intentions. There was a hardness in his jaw, a threatening way he carried himself, and a cold glint in his eyes.

"Caroline, love, how nice to see you again."

"Go to hell," she spat before she could think better of it. His smirk slipped only momentarily but that brief change was enough to raise the hair on her arms. She quickly dropped his gaze, even though she was furious with him and what he did to Tyler, there was something that was warning her not to press further. An instinct that kept her from lashing out.

"So impolite," he sighed, temporarily moving out of view and she was reminded of a predator circling its prey. He was toying with her. "Disobedience is not something I value, sweetheart."

"Why am I even here?" she asked instead, her voice dropping at the end of her question as she realized she didn't even know where here was.

"Such curiosity," he chuckled before nodding his head toward the hybrids that still gripped her arms. Within seconds she was released and she raised a hand to rub at her arms. "Have you heard from Stefan?"

"I—no, no I haven't," she replied immediately, eyes growing wide and shoulders slumping with defeat

"A pity," he stated with a slight curve of his lips, and she recognized the once over he gave her. It made her skin crawl. "And here I thought that you might be of some use."

"In finding Stefan?" she laughed, half wondering why she hadn't tried to run. "I haven't spoken to him in weeks."

"I'm aware of that," he said before taking a step closer to her and she stopped herself from taking one backward, even though that instinct was flaring again. She could hear the warning bells. "A shame really, he thought of you a great deal. You were something spectacular in his eyes. I cannot imagine why."

She felt a little gasp drift past her lips and she broke the eyes contact he had been insistent on maintaining. How terrible it was that a comment like that, from him of all people, could still manage to wound her.

"He was my best friend," she whispered in reply.

"He was mine at one point as well," he stated and she allowed the surprise to settle on her face, noticing the amusement that lit up his own. "Is that really so surprising?"

"Stefan would never associate with someone as," she paused, grasping for an adjective, any adjective, "Psychotic as you."

"You never really knew Stefan, love," he was closer now, she finally realized just as he raised a hand to gently pull at a blonde curl. "Not entirely."

"Neither did you," she hissed in reply, pushing his hand away from her face just as he moved to stroke her cheek. It was a mistake, of course, because she soon found herself against a wall and his hand was wrapped around her throat.

"He has something of mine," he said calmly and her eyes narrowed at his tone. There was something completely unsettling about his seemingly serine state when he could snap her neck at any moment. "Something very important and you, my dear, are going to help me find him."

"Why me?" she managed to croak and he flexed his hand once and her airflow was temporarily stilled entirely. But then he smiled and released his grip, his hand falling to just above her collar bone and she could feel his fingers lightly trace the skin there.

"I take care of those who are loyal to me, Caroline," he deflected and his hand moved up to cup her cheek instead. "Every vampire should be given the opportunity to reach their full potential. I look forward to seeing you grow without the restraints you have been subjected to in the past."

"I don't want to hurt anyone," she whimpered and he smiled again.

"Would you like to see Stefan again?" he asked just as his finger brushed against the corner of her lip.

"Yes," she admitted and she felt a weight settle over her shoulders. Stefan had taken his family and she could assume the punishment for such a task would be fatal.

"Do you think you could influence him to correct his moment of insanity?"

"No," she replied regretfully and his hand fell away from her cheek.

"I didn't think so."

And there was that familiar sting again, the eternal burn of never being good enough.

"If you have such little faith in me," she paused, her voice catching in her throat. "Why would you ask for my help?"

"Oh I'm not asking, love," he chuckled, and she shied away from the sound. "You will help me with this."

She released a shaky breath before nodding. He would use compulsion if necessary, she was sure of it, and if she wanted to retain one thing in this whole ordeal it would be her will. He smirked as he if he knew she would agree to it all along. A part of her, a hesitant and foolish part of her, believed that maybe, maybe she would be able to convince Stefan in some way. She hoped she could break through to him. Because even if she had treated him with cold indifference since his return, there was a part of her that still recognized him as a best friend. She was reminded of the promise he made all that time ago as he wiped the blood away from her face. What friend would she be if she didn't try to protect him in return?

And she felt the weight of her betrayal then. She felt it for ignoring Stefan, she felt it for deflecting from Elena, Bonnie, Damon, and all the rest of them. This is the price she has to pay to speak to him again. This is the price she must pay to keep her rock, her mentor, her best friend safe. If succumbing to Klaus was what it took, then so be it. She was determined to prove them all wrong and, in some strange way, she wished to prove the Original wrong most of all.

"What do you need me to do?" she asked and Klaus placed a hand on her back before leading her away from their current location. He led her to a new area, taking a couple of steps before she was distracted by the whimpers and cries of a girl she did not recognize. Her neck was already bleeding and she felt herself already begin to give in to the bloodlust.

"There she is," he grinned and she hated the way she brightened at the bit of praise in his tone. She clung to it, easily recognizing that needy part of herself she thought she had buried once she had completed her transition. That human part of her was not dead as she had previously believed.

And as she approached the girl, throwing a look toward Klaus over her shoulder, she held on to that praise. In some way, she hoped it would make things easier. But she could not drown out the girl's cries, not entirely.

It wasn't until her teeth settled in the artery that she realized what it would all mean.

_This is for Stefan_, she defended herself mentally, _and it will bring him back to me._

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><p>Please review!<p> 


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Note**: Wow! I am beyond overwhelmed with the response this fic got! I completely forgot to mention when I posted the story that this was intended to be a oneshot.

You were all asking for more and I felt guilty denying you that!

So here you have it, a second chapter! This takes place during Caroline's birthday and I wanted to get it out before the new episode of TVD airs.

You'll all have to be patient with me with this fic though. Like I said, this was originally a oneshot and although I am continuing it I have no idea where I'm going with it plot wise.

Enjoy the chapter (I know it's short) and please review!

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><p>It had been five days since her capture and a week since Homecoming. She became all too familiar with that ache in throat every day in class and she often fought to keep from ripping into every throat of her classmates. She understood why Klaus wanted her to feed in this way. Human blood was stronger and he made a point to remind her that feeding fresh drew a certain life force from their prey that a blood bag could never dream to reciprocate. She was jumpy, anxious with every passing hour each day and she found it humorous in some ways how little everyone seemed to notice.<p>

Tyler had completely returned to the jerk he once was and had taken to spending most of his time at football practice. He hardly ever spared a glance in her direction and it was both infuriating and comforting. She didn't need him to get mixed up in this, not now. Elena was completely fixated with Damon and defended him vehemently when Caroline had mockingly reminded her of the past torments he had inflicted on the blonde. _He's different now_, she had cried out with narrowed eyes and Caroline had only scoffed and left the brunette to continue her _training_ with her sire. _Training_ was a very loose term and she found herself rolling her eyes at every mention. Oh she had walked in on them _training_ once before and it looked like more of an excuse for Damon to feel Elena up. The worst part was that Elena didn't particularly seem to mind.

Bonnie seemed concerned some moments but all the rest she didn't spare any possible problem with Caroline a second thought.

Everyone assumed she was having a hard time dealing with the break up.

Sometimes she found herself laughing in desperation and despair at how wrong they were.

She spent her days fighting her cravings and her nights retreating to the woods. He never failed to appear with a human in tow. She wanted to hate him. Sometimes she thought she did hate him each moment he cradled her head while she fed and his own fangs dipped into the victim's neck so close that she could hear his satisfaction at her compliance. Sometimes she allowed herself to realize that she couldn't hate him at all, not entirely. Caroline Forbes never clung to hate, it was never a trait of hers. She forgave _everyone_ even when they didn't deserve it.

She wished Klaus could be different.

"Are you serious?" she asked one night just days before what would have been her eighteenth birthday. "Really, are you serious about this?"

"I'm certainly not joking."

"So you're going to _officially_ kidnap me? In front of everyone?" she sighed with annoyance before leaning back against the tree directly behind her. "You're going to kidnap me _on my birthday?_"

"You're being dramatic," he stated with a pointed look and she cringed away from his stare. He hated the dramatics.

"No, _you're_ being dramatic. Why can't you just, I don't know, kidnap me after cheerleading practice or something? Why does it have to be _my birthday_?"

"Love, you'll have plenty of those in the future," he snarled before taking a step toward her and she quickly broke eye contact. "Or perhaps you won't if you continue your current behavior."

"I just don't understand how the day changes anything," she whispered meekly.

"It will send a message."

"So? If they aren't looking for Stefan now I don't think they'll try any harder once I'm gone."

"Do you really think so little of your relationship with those people?"

She didn't answer. She suspected she didn't need to. He didn't say anything at all and she was thankful for that. Instead he gestured to a girl she vaguely remembered from one of Duke's parties. She didn't hesitate to tear into the girl's neck as she usually did. No, she drank until she was absolutely positive there was nothing left.

"Your attempt won't do anything to bring Stefan out of hiding," she said as she wiped at the corner of her mouth with the back of her hand. When she chose to look at him again her stare was cold, icy enough to match even his best glares. It was a shame he really had no reaction to it.

"It's only a matter of time before Stefan gives me what I want."

"Yeah and it's only a matter of time before they all find another way to kill you," she fired back without considering the possible reaction such a comment would have.

"Careful, sweetheart" he chuckled and Caroline was yet again floundered by how quickly his mood could shift. "Get home before anyone notices you've been gone too long."

She didn't comment or argue; instead she smiled with tight lips and nodded before returning home. Even in sleep he managed to work his way into her every thought. Her dreams were filled or harsh words and threatening glances. She often woke in fright and would frantically search her room for any sign of the hybrid. She never found a trace.

The night before her birthday was no different.

Her night terrors stayed with her all throughout the day until the very moment she caught sight of her locker, the decorations standing proud and her best friends stood grinning a short distance away. She was able to push them aside then and smile, promise that she would meet them later for cake. Only she knew what consequences going out tonight would bring. But she went anyway, all smiles and laughter as they settled together in a heap. Bonnie, Elena, and Matt all gathered round and they shared drinks and recalled past adventures and secrets. She managed to keep all her fears at bay until the candles were lit. She felt her smile slip, she knew the exact moment it all came rushing back because she was reminded of her smiling friends and the danger they would prove to be in. She paused, smiled with tight lips and blew out the candles.

The moment the wisps of smoke began to rise indicated the event she was preparing for.

None of them had any time to react when the hybrids forced their way in. Bonnie managed to take down a few but there were many of them and with two humans at stake she was left to hold back. Caroline quickly found herself in a hybrid's grasp and she made a good show of fighting him off until she was vervained and dragged away. The last thing she heard was Elena's terrified scream.

At least he would be pleased and they were that much closer to finding Stefan.

She found herself clinging to his praise in the very way she hoped she never would. He played on her insecurities and secured her loyalty with threats and false promises she felt inclined to believe. So when he suggested they pay Damon a little visit at the Grill she followed along like the good little minion she hated herself for becoming. He let her walk freely, warning her to behave and put on a good show.

"We're threatening Damon to tell us where Stefan is?" she asked after she had pulled her arm free from a hybrid's grip.

"I know where Stefan is."

"Wait," she paused, stopping entirely until Klaus turned on her without bothering to hide his annoyance. "You already know where he is? Then why the hell am I here?"

"You're here, Caroline," he hissed before closing the distance between them until she could feel his breath on her cheek. She didn't like being to close. It triggered her reaction to retreat but she was held firmly in place by his hand gripping her forearm. "Because you agreed to help me find Stefan and retrieve my family. You will behave and you will do as I say or you will find a loved one's blood on your hands."

She did just that once he stepped back. They walked into Mystic Grill as a group and she was strangely glad that Damon spotted them right away. His phone was pressed to his ear and Caroline could hear Elena's concerned voice on the other end. She did her best to play the part. She was all wide eyes and trembling lips and quiet whimpers as he approached. She might not have been the best actress but she suspected the actual fear heavily influenced how she was perceived.

"Blondie," he greeted with a smirk once he was close enough. She saw his eyes flicker from her own to the hybrids behind her before finally settling on Klaus. "Good to see you aren't dead."

"We have a message for you to deliver," she managed to choke out and from the corner of her she caught the glance of approval Klaus shot her way.

"And what message would that be?" Damon chuckled.

"Get Stefan to stop decapitating my friends," Klaus spoke through clenched teeth and she caught the surprise settle on Damon's face for a small moment.

"Or what?"

Caroline let out a small laugh of disbelief before she could stop herself. Lucky for her it seemed to sound desperate and it fit her part because she soon found a hybrid gripping into arm. Of course Damon would challenge Klaus when an obvious threat was coming. But Caroline didn't expect Klaus to grab her arm and sink his teeth into her wrist so quickly that no one in the Grill managed to catch a glimpse. She let out a small gasp of pain and allowed herself to look at her arm just once before she focused again on Klaus.

"Or she dies," he seethed and Caroline was thankful that she was being pulled off before she had the chance to react out of character.

She winced and shook out her hand as if it would eliminate the bite entirely. It stung.

"Don't worry, love," she heard his voice close to his ear as they walked away from Damon and the ultimatum. "If he does what he's told you'll have nothing to worry about."

"Klaus, please don't do this," she pleaded only to have him turn her around until she was facing him. His hands moved forward until they were cupping her cheeks.

"Happy birthday, love."


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's Note**: I did warn you guys that updates would be sporadic for this fic. I don't know where I'm going with this, haha. Have you guys caught onto that yet?

But I have realized I am sort of toying with some canon ideas, so you can look forward to that.

Please leave me a review with your thoughts! Writers love feedback after all.

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><p>She always had a knack for trying to fix broken and lonely things.<p>

When she was eight she found a baby bird while out playing with Bonnie and Elena. She swore up and down that she would nurse it back to health and for a couple of days she carried it around in a shoe box trying to get it to eat with no success. The bird died on the third day and she cried for a week straight.

When she was thirteen she found a cat lurking around her front yard. It looked weak and hungry and she fed that cat for a week until she managed to coax it inside. Her mother had been furious with her, eyes livid and mouth agape, but with a single look Caroline had shot down her mother's protests. It was one of the times she was glad her mother was so concerned with keeping her happy after the divorce. The cat ran away the second a door was left open and never came back.

There were boyfriends who were assholes long before Damon Salvatore entered her life. She just always wanted someone to want her and for a couple of booty calls, she was important to them. Until they moved on and found someone better that is.

Damon Salvatore was the complete epitome of the bad boy persona and the rejection of his younger brother had been overwhelmingly potent that night. She longed for the chase and possibility of wrapping such a mysterious stranger around her finger. Of course, like always, she roped him in with fervent kisses and promises of an empty house. She just hadn't suspected him to tear into her throat in the middle of such intimacy.

Matt was lonely and he noticed her when no one else did. But he had lingering feelings for Elena (really this happened with her boyfriends more often than it should) and she spent a good part of their relationship trying to fill that void the brunette had left. When he finally let her in everything crumbled and her secret was exposed and everything erupted. She couldn't fix how he viewed her. He didn't trust her anymore.

Tyler was a werewolf, confused and sloppy with everything. She had literally tried to fix him, mold him into a creature that didn't have to kill people or suffer. Eventually she thought she had succeeded until Klaus changed him. That was a bond she had no way of infiltrating.

Maybe she saw something in Klaus too. If she looked beyond all his psychopathic glory maybe there was a human side to him. Maybe she as stupid enough to think she could play along until he realized it too. Hah, and look just where that got her. She was dying.

But she was floating, just grazing, sailing across her own subconscious and everything was muddled, blended until she wasn't sure she could make sense of it. She was completely alone, she made sure her mother kept Elena and Bonnie and everyone else away. Liz was in the living room pacing, even in her state Caroline could hear the patter of her heart beat and the choked cries. She just wanted it all to fade away.

If she was going to die she wished it would hurry up already. It was the waiting that messed with her head.

Until there as a presence there and she smiled.

"Stefan," she greeted with a little cough. Her vision swimming in and out of focus before she could see that it wasn't Stefan at all.

The hybrid moved closer until she felt his hand against her arm.

His gaze was heavy, his touch uncharacteristically light. She expected anger; she certainly expected death, but never this. He had managed to surprise her yet again. Perhaps she was dreaming, this hallucination seemed certain and thoroughly understandable. She was not so quick to wish for death. Even now when the smallest of movements flooded her limbs with pain she was not ready to let go. There he stood with his hand pressed to the flesh near her wrist and she forced herself not to cry out. This was not Klaus, she decided numbly. Klaus did not do gentle or concerned. Klaus was ruthless, vengeful and a force to be reckoned with. He had no reason to behave in such a way. But he was.

She hated it.

"You could just kill me now, you know," she managed to croak out through her cracked lips. "Instead of standing there to watch me die."

"It's your birthday," he chuckled before moving closer and she flinched away even though every muscle ached in protest. "You won't die today, love."

"Why?" She asked with a trembling voice. "Stefan doesn't care about me. He doesn't care if I live or die."

It still stung to admit. It hurt even worse to say it out loud.

"Don't underestimate yourself, love."

"Why not?" she laughed. "It's true. He doesn't care about anything anymore."

"You can still be of some use to me," he smiled.

"Can you just kill me?" she asked feebly.

Klaus didn't reply. He only stared at her with an expression she could not read. Then he pulled a small vial from his pocket. The movement was so quick that she wasn't sure it had actually happened. He pressed the small bit of glass into her palm and she eyed the red liquid it contained with wild eyes. She hadn't known she was so hungry. She fumbled to move it to her lips, eyes ablaze and fingers frantic. She swallowed it quickly, gasping as it shifted down her throat and the immediate relief it brought. Her vision grew blurry, unfocused and she fought to concentrate on the smirking tormentor before her. As her vision began to return his hand moved to her face and she felt a ghost of his fingertips against her cheek. She blinked and he had vanished. The energy seemed to slip away from her and she found herself succumbing to the overwhelming urge to close her eyes.

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><p>Klaus was MIA for the time being. She had a moment where she imagined him running off with Stefan, never to be heard from again. It made her jumpy. Every sound, every movement was interpreted as Klaus, stalking and waiting for her to drop her guard. She imagined him lurking, striking when she least expected it and realizing the mistake he made by letting her live. She still couldn't grasp his change of behavior and she expected death every night before she went to bed.<p>

But if his absence made her paranoid, it was cause for severe suspicion for the rest of them. Damon was speaking with Bonnie, Elena, and Alaric trying to figure out what he was planning. Not that she knew specifics or anything, she was never privy to the information shared at their little get togethers. They were cautious, not quite understanding why he had healed her either.

"Ugh I would kill for some scotch right now," Caroline sighed and stabbed at her salad. "Think I can compel the bartender?"

"Caroline!" Elena gaped, eyebrows nearly up to her hairline. Caroline chuckled, shrugging her shoulders.

"I'm kidding, geez, calm down, Elena."

"You just shouldn't joke about something like that."

"Whatever," she grumbled before rolling her eyes.

"Are you okay?" Elena finally asked before dropping a fry onto her plate. She was smiling in way that was probably supposed to be comforting but right now Caroline was just sick of being asked that question.

"Yep."

"Are you sure? You just seem a little," Elena stopped, watching the blonde take a stab at a tomato. "A little on edge lately."

"Oh sure! I didn't just almost die and then get saved by the very same hybrid or anything," she dead panned, shoving a bit of salad into her mouth.

"Caroline," Elena began before pausing, as if to consider what she was about to say.

"Relax, Elena. I'm fine," Caroline smiled. "Perfectly fine."

"If you say so," Elena smiled, popping a fry into her mouth.

"Well, I do, thank you very much," Caroline felt the smile slip from her face as she eyed her friend. "What about you? Have you heard from Stefan at all?"

"What?" Elena asked, a fry slipping from her fingers and falling onto the plate. "Why would I have heard from Stefan?"

"Klaus bit me because of Stefan, Elena," Caroline stated slowly and her brow knitted together in confusion. "Stefan is in town."

"What are you talking about?" Elena asked and then, after a long beat of silence, "Damon said he bit you as a warning to behave."

"Well," she began with pursed lips, eyes narrowed. "I guess it was a warning to behave, maybe. But Damon knows where Stefan is, Elena."

"No," the brunette insisted, her voice cracking a bit. "Damon wouldn't lie to me, Caroline, not about that."

"I'm sorry to break it to you, Elena," Caroline sighed even though it was a lie. "Rule number one of Damon 101, he only tells the truth when it will benefit him."

Elena looked completely bewildered. Caroline reached forward as if to comfort her but her friend retracted her hand quickly. She looked apologetic for a moment; even opened her mouth to vocalize that apology and Caroline shook her head. Maybe she was being unfair but she had always been easily stung by such little occurrences. Even now her insecurities would not subside. She rose to her feet quickly and threw a couple of bills on the table, ignoring Elena's protests. Her friend had no right to be mad, she decided firmly as she walked away. No right at all.

"Nice going, Blondie," Damon hissed as he approached from the bar to go comfort Elena.

"Maybe you should actually be honest with her," she replied. "You can't build a relationship on lies, Damon."

She hadn't meant for it to sound as cruel as it did. It was meant to be light, playful, teasing even but she was surprised to hear malice in her tone. He made some sort of snarky remark that she didn't care to listen to. He had a distressed doppelganger to deal with and she had a missing hybrid's plans to contemplate.

It was just her luck that he would run right into her when she was ready to storm out.

"Hello, Caroline," he smiled and she found herself frozen in place. Her hand moved to stroke the skin of her wrist and he grinned at the response.

"Klaus," she gasped and took a step back. There was something about him that threw her off. She was stubborn and feisty by nature, but around him that all crumbled away. She was back to that scared little child curled up in her room as she listened to her parents argue through the walls. Something about him sent her into a panic. There was something about him that terrified her to her very core.

"Is your wrist hurting, love?" he asked with a grin. "I thought I took care of that."

"Stay away from her!"

Caroline whirled around to see Elena there, gripping her arm tightly to pull her away from Klaus.

"Don't be stupid, Elena," Damon murmured before stepping forward and pushing the both of them behind him.

"Careful now," Klaus chuckled, hands raised in mock surrender. "I only wish to speak with Caroline."

"You aren't coming anywhere near her," Elena cried vehemently from her side.

"I'll be okay, Elena," she sighed, flinching away from the weight of the Original's gaze. It was heavy and she longed to flee away from it. But she held her ground, keeping her eyes fixed on his, unwavering. He liked her compliance but she was confident he enjoyed that bit of fire in her. Probably because she often sought to hide it.

"You aren't going anywhere with him," Damon snarled before turning to face her. "Or are you so dim witted to forget that he tore into your arm a couple days ago?"

"He also saved me," she whispered meekly, breaking eye contact with Klaus to level with Damon. "He doesn't want me dead."

"Not _yet_," he stressed, icy eyes narrowing. "Don't be an idiot, Caroline."

"You don't get to tell me what to do anymore," she sneered before pushing past him. She ignored the smug look Klaus wore and the frantic, hushed voice of Elena. She followed him out the doors, eerily reminded of their last conversation on the street. The skin on her wrist throbbed at the memory.

"That was quite a performance, love," he chuckled and she stopped abruptly.

"What do you want from me?" she growled and he turned to face her. The look of amusement didn't falter. "Stefan obviously doesn't care what happens to me so there's no point in using me as leverage anymore."

"You can still be useful," he remarked so casually she was overwhelmed by the sudden urge to strike him. "I already told you that."

"I'm not one of your sired pets, Klaus, you can't control me."

"I'd rethink your tone, sweetheart," he warned before taking a step closer.

"Why? You'll inevitably kill me so what's the point?"

"I don't recall you being quite so cheeky," he answered, moving closer still. Nobody paid any attention to them. If she wasn't fearful that he would rip her heart out at any moment she might have been more concerned.

"I'm done being afraid of you," she stated even though it was so far from the truth. He seemed to know it too.

"You will do what I ask," he smiled.

"Is that why you pushed daggers into their hearts? Is that why you push your family around in caskets? Because they didn't do what you asked?" She was overstepping and she knew it. She could tell when his muscles twitched. If they weren't in public she was sure his hand would be around her throat.

"You forget that it's not just your life I can threaten," he pointed out, his voice a low growl. "Perhaps Tyler will meet an untimely end. Your mother might fall victim to a vicious animal attack. Maybe the quarterback will have an unfortunate accident. What is his name? Matt? I believe he's working now. Perhaps I'll start there."

He smiled a dark predatory smile. He had won. She knew it and he was confident in his victory. He gave her a quick once over, a challenge to stop him. When she did not react he moved away. The horrifying thing was that she believed him. He was going to kill Matt right then and there. She believed that completely. It took but a second for her voice to ring out, distressed and frantic.

"Wait! Don't hurt them, please," she pleaded but he did not turn around to face her. "I'll do what you ask. I'll do whatever you want."

"Fantastic," he finally faced her.

"But I want you to promise you won't hurt them. I want you to give me your word," she stressed, eyes locking with his.

"It doesn't work that way, sweetheart," he chuckled, amused by her sudden distress. "You'll be hearing from me soon."

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><p>She had several missed calls from Elena, Damon, Bonnie, and even Alaric and Matt when she got home. Their messages went unanswered and she chose to ignore them completely instead. It was some sort of comfort to hear their frantic voices and panicked tones. It showed they still cared. Even if Damon seemed more interested in whatever Klaus might have been planning.<p>

"_Just don't get yourself killed, Blondie_," he sighed before the voicemail cut off.

That was as close as it could get.

The vial still rested on her night stand. She caught herself eying it more often than she should have. She couldn't bring herself to throw it out.

"Your friends called," her mother stated from the doorway. Caroline didn't turn around.

"I know," she replied with a shrug.

"Are you going to call them back?"

"They'll find out I'm alive when I show up at school tomorrow."

"Caroline—"

"I'm just really tired, mom," she turned around then, her tone grew softer at her mother's expression. After the disaster of her birthday she was been intent on making her daughter safe.

"Are you okay?" Liz asked as her daughter paced around the room.

"I will be after a little sleep," she smiled reassuringly and her mother only nodded.

"There was a, uh, package left for you. I found it on your bed."

"Where is it now?" Caroline asked curiously.

"I have it."

"Well, can I see it?" Caroline huffed, arms crossed over her chest.

"I don't think it's a good idea."

"You didn't open it did you?" Caroline gasped the suspicion clearly evident.

"No," Liz sighed before retreating only to return moments later with the box in hand. "But it's from Klaus."

"It's probably not a good idea," Caroline agreed but moved forward. Her eager hands reached out to grab the box, fingers tracing the ribbon before finally curling around the card. "I'll return it tomorrow."

She dropped the box in her closet, sharing a small smile with her mother. She waited until Liz left the room before her eyes fell to the object tucked away. It would be best to return it, unopened. It would make a statement but she was curious, so very curious.

"Well, I see you're still alive."

She turned around instantly, eyes wide, mouth agape.

"Stefan."

"Hello, Caroline."


End file.
